Humidifier



y 11, 1939- s. BURGESS, JR 2,165,783

HUMIDIFIER Filed Aug. 19, 1937 h m w 1 I 7 4 I I m I 5 l5 I q Z5 Z I 17 M ,zs i 16 E:

M 22 4 564 5a 5 lb INVENTOR.

BY l Va/far 6. 55/7650 U ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 11, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 19,

14 Claims.

This invention relates to humidifiers and particularly to unit humidifiers for installation in print shops, bakeries, knitting mills, houses, apartments, incubators or the like for supplying the desired humidity. It has for its objects:

First, to produce a new and improved humidifier which is simple in construction and highly satisfactory in operation.

Second, to produce such a humidifier in which the working parts are all enclosed in a casing having a neat appearance and which serves in part as the support for the humidifying apparatus.

Third, to provide such a humidifier in which there is substantially no danger of water overflow because the circuit controlling the vaporizing means of the humidifier also controls the water supply.

Fourth, to provide such a humidifier in which a pair of rotating disks are employed to create water vapor, in which a fan is unnecessary and in which an extremely fine vapor free from droplets of water is created.

Fifth, to produce such a humidifier having novel water pick-up means which are self-cleaning in operation and which do not create a vortex in the tank supplying the water.

Other objects pertaining to details and economies of construction and operation will appear from the description to follow. The invention is pointed out in the claims. Preferred embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. lis a detail sectional view through my improved humidifier showing the operating parts and their relationship to one another.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view showing the water pick-up mechanism, taken on line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a conventional wiring diagram showing the electrical connections employed in my humidifier.

My humidifier is a unit I which may be conveniently supported from the ceiling of the room in which it is to be used by a bracket 2. The humidifier unit consists of a supporting member 3 which may be a suitable metal disk, and a motor 4 is suspended from said disk by screws 5 and spacers 6. Supported on a bracket 1 connected to the motor 4 is a solenoid 8 operatively connected .to operate a valve 9 in the water supply line III which is provided also with a shut-off valve I l The details of the solenoid valve which 1937, Serial No. 159,909

I employ are not a part of this invention and the valve is not described in detail. It will be understood that the solenoid opens the valve when it is energized by the passage of current therethrough and that the valve closes when the solenoid is not energized. I have merely illustrated this valve diagrammatically in Fig. 4 as the details are not a part of this invention.

A sheet metal casing I2 is fastened to the support 3 and depends therefrom as is shown in Fig. 1. This casing consists of an upper sheet metal portion l3 and a lower sheet metal portion l4 disposed in spaced relationship. Connecting members It brazed to the lower member M at I are employed to support the lower member from the edge of the upper member I3. The members It fit in suitable fastening sockets ll disposed at the edge of the upper portion of the casing. A water supply line 18 extends to a valve l9 which is controlled by a float 20 for maintaining the Water level in the bottom portion 14 0f the casing, this portion serving as a water tank for the water supply for the humidifying device. The fioat valve serves as a safety feature and eliminates cumbersome, unsightly and expensive drains.

The humidifying device consists of an upper disk 2| and a lower disk 22 supported horizontally in spaced relationship. The spacing between the disks is such that the rotation of them will create a suction in the space therebetween to suck water from the tank or bottom portion M of the casing to create a water vapor. The upper disk has an upwardly concaved central portion 23 and the lower disk 22 has a downwardly concaved central portion 24. The lower disk 22 has at its periphery a vertical flange 25 extending upwardly at the periphery of said disk into spaced relationship with the periphery of the upper disk 2|. These disks are mounted for rotation about their vertical axis indicated at 26. The shaft 21 of the motor lies in this axis and serves as a mounting for the disks. A nut 28' is screw threaded on shaft 21 and the upper disk 2| abuts against this nut. The lower diskis held in spaced relationship by a spacer sleeve 29 against which the lower disk 22 abuts and the water pick-up member, consisting of a body portion 38 having an upwardly extending screw threaded portion 3! fitting on the shaft 21, is provided. The shaft 21 is of such length that it does not bottom in the screw threaded portion of the member 30, thus leaving an opening into which the water is pulled as the disk rotates. This opening, indicated at 32, communicates with the space between the disks 2| and 22 through cross bores 33 and 34 in the member 30 and the spacer 29. These bores 33 and 34 are in register as indicated in detail in Fig. 2 and permit water which is drawn up from the tank through the water pick-up to pass out between the disks.

The water-pick-up consists of a tube 35 fitted in the member 30 and having a shaft 36 fitted therein. The shaft 36 is provided along one edge with a key-way 31 which forms an eccentric passage for the water. The pick-up 35 extends down to the water level in the lower casing l4 when the device is in operation and the fioat valve 9 is arranged to maintain the proper water level.

Loosely fitted within the key-way 31 is a wire 38 which has its upper end 39 bent over to hold it loosely in the key-way. The eccentric passage formed by the key-way 31 is particularly effective in preventing the creation of a vortex in the tank M and the wire 38 loosely retained in the key-way 31 makes the water pick-up self-cleaning and non-clogging in operation. The size of the passage and its distance from the center of the shaft determine the amount of water used.

The electric circuit employed by me is shown in Fig. 4. The motor 4 is in series circuit relationship with the solenoid 8 and a switch 40 is provided controlled by a humidostat 4|, assuring that the water supply will be turned off when the motor 4 is not in operation as called for by the humidostat.

In operation, if the humidity drops to a predetermined point, the humidostat closes the motor circuit and the solenoid 8 opens the water supply valve 9, permitting Water to flow into the tank or lower portion [4 of the casing. The rotation of the two spaced disks by the motor creates a vacuum in the space between the disks due to the centrifugal force exerted on the air between the disks. This causes the water to flow from the tank or lower half M of the casing through the key-way 31 into the space between the disks. The wire 38 rises in this opening during this operation and, being loose, tends to keep the keyway free from clogging. The Water drawn up into the space between the disks is vaporized by the action of the disks. It apparently takes a zig-zag course between the disks from the center to the periphery. The droplets being broken up in this process produce a very fine mist. Any droplets of water which may run out along the lower disk 22 are prevented from passing into the atmosphere by the flange 25 which also serves to stiffen the disk 22. Droplets of water hitting the flange 25 are broken up and the vaporizer thus creates a very fine vapor substantially free from droplets which are highly objectionable in humidifiers.

I have found that by concaving the disks as at 23 and 24, I obtain a much more satisfactory vaporization than would be obtained without this concaving and with the structure described and shown I am able to produce a highly satisfactory water vapor for humidification in printing plants, bakeries or the like. The device is substantially noiseless in operation and the fact that a fan is unnecessary is very helpful on this score. The device produces humidity without odors and objectionable dripping and, due to the safety features embodied in the electrical circuit, it is most desirable in that there is no opportunity for overflow with the ruinous effects which might be caused thereby.

The device is extremely simple in construction and may be manufactured at an extremely low cost. The utilization of the casing as part of the support eliminates the necessity for expensive supporting devices and the concealment of the operating parts in this casing makes the device most attractive in appearance and not at all objectionable for use or installation in public places.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is:

1. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, the upper disk having an upwardly concaved central portion and the lower disk having a downwardly concaved central portion and having a peripheral flange extending upwardly into spaced relationship with the periphery of the upper disk, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks comprising an axially extending tube, a rod closely fitted in said tube and having a key-way along one side thereof forming an eccentric passage communicating between. the tank and the space between the disks, and a wire loosely disposed in said passage and retained loosely therein.

2. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, the upper disk having an upwardly concaved central portion and the lower disk having a downwardly concaved central portion and having a peripheral flange extending upwardly into spaced relationship with the periphery of the upper disk, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks having an eccentric passage communicating between the tank and the space between the disks, and a wire loosely disposed in said passage and retained loosely therein.

3. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, the upper disk having an upwardly concaved central portion and the lower disk having a downwardly concaved central portion and having a peripheral flange extending upwardly into spaced relationship with the periphery of the upper disk, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks having an eccentric passage communicating between the tank and the space between the disks.

4. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, each disk having a central portion concaved away from the other disk and one of said disks having a peripheral flange extending partially across the space between the disks into spaced relationship with the side of the other disk adjacent the periphery of said other disks, a fluid tank adjacent the disks, means for rotating said disks about their axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks and communicating between the tank and the space between the disks.

5. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another. one disk having a peripheral flange extending partially across the space between the disks into spaced relationship with the side of the other disk at the periphery of said other disk,

a fluid tank adjacent the disks, means for rotating said disks about their axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks and communicating between the tank and the space between the disks.

6. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, said disks having central portions concaved away from each other and one disk having a peripheral flange extending partially across the space between the disks into spaced relationship with the side of the other disk at the periphery of the other disk, means for rotating said disks about their axis, and means for supplying water to the space between. the disks.

7. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, one disk having a peripheral flange extending partially across the space between the disks into spaced relationship with the side of the other disk at the periphery of said other disk, means for rotating said disks about their axis, and. means for supplying water to the space between the disks.

8. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one anther, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pickup rotatable with said disks comprising an axially extending tube, a rod closely fitted in said tube and having a key-way along one side thereof forming an eccentric passage communicating between the tank and the space between the disks, and a wire loosely disposed in. said passage and retained loosely therein.

9. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pickup rotatable with said disks having an eccentric. passage communicating between the tank and the space between the disks, and a wire loosely disposed in said passage and retained loosely t erein.

10. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pickup rotatable with said disks having an eccentric passage communicating between the tank and. the space between the disks.

11. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of horizontal disks disposed in spaced relationship to one another, a fluid tank below the disks, means for rotating said disks about their vertical axis, and an axially extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks having a passage communicating between the tank and the space between the disks, and a wire loosely disposed in said passage and retained loosely therein.

12. In a humidifier, the combination of a pair of disks in spaced relationship to one another, a water supply adjacent said disks, means for rotating said disks about their axis, an axially-extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks and having a passage communicating with said water supply and with the space between the disks, and a. wire loosely disposed in said passage.

13. In a hurnidifler, the combination of a pair of disks in spaced relationship to: one another, one of said disks having a peripheral flange extending into close proximity to the other disk at its periphery, a water supply adjacent said disks, means for rotating said disks about their axis, an axially-extending water pick-up rotatable with said disks and having a passage communicating with said water supply and with the space between the disks, and. a wire loosely disposed in said passage.

14. In a humidifier, the combination of waterdiffusing means and means for supplying water thereto comprising a rotatable member having a water feed passage extending in the direction of its length, and a wire loosely disposed in said passage.

WALTER S. BURGESS, JR. 

